Enstrom F-28F accident near Belfield, North Dakota, April 17, 1983
On April 17, 1983 at about 11:00 pm local time, a Enstrom F-28F (helicopter), registered N8623B, was substantially damaged in an accident near Belfield, North Dakota. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 17, 1983 · about 11:00 pm local time · cases in 1983
- Place
- Belfield, North Dakota · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Enstrom F-28F · all F-28Fs on the register
- Registration
- N8623B · registry record · serial 728
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE HELICOPTER ROLLED OVER ON A SLIGHT SLOPE IN AN OPEN FIELD DURING A LANDING. THE PILOT STATED THAT THE ACFT TOUCHED DOWN ON THE LEFT SKID, THE ACFT STARTED TO TIP TO THE LEFT AND HE OVER CORRECTED SO THAT THE ACFT ROLLED OVER TO THE RIGHT.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: student
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 39 hours in all; 39 in this make and model; 23 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 77 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 1,950 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming HIO-360-E1AD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 5,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:56 pm from DIK, 20 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N8623B on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Enstrom F-28 147 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Enstrom 216 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Lycoming HIO-360-E1AD 10 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Accidents and incidents in North Dakota 581 since 1982 · 59 in the last ten years
- North Dakota 2,493 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/DEN83LA099.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.